Japril 2
by TheCristinaYang
Summary: What happens after the season 13 finale? The story follows Jackson and April on a very complicated journey starting right where 13.24 ended.
1. Chapter 1

**APRIL KEPNER**

 _"Jackson… He likes you. He has feelings for you."_

Why had she said that? Why had she just blurted it out?

 _Because it's the truth._

April sighed and leaned against the wall. She was exhausted – physically, mentally, and emotionally. She hadn't left the hospital since the fire. Jackson had taken Harriet and gone home, but she just couldn't. She wouldn't know what to say to him.

After Montana, she had really thought he still had feelings for her. They had fought for so long, but something had changed during that trip. Something had healed. He had been a jerk to her but she had still supported him. Why? Because she loved him. After all this time, after everything they had been through – she still loved him.

And then when he kissed her, it was just like before. It was like he still loved her too. It was like nothing had changed.

But everything had changed.

Jackson had just been caught up in his emotions. So much was happening and he just needed her in that moment. But the sex didn't mean anything to him. After coming back to Seattle, he acted like nothing had happened. She tried to talk initially, but he always found an excuse to avoid any real conversation.

The excuse was usually Maggie. April had thought they were just friends, but obviously, she was wrong.

Weren't they sort of related through Webber though? April shook her head. Who was she to judge?

Whatever the case, the fact was that she still loved Jackson and he didn't love her.

He had been quite clear about that. And yet, the moment he had leaned in to kiss her, all her walls had come down. Did she really have no self-respect? Why had she believed that after all this time, after everything he had said and done to her, he would actually still feel the same way?

April felt humiliated, thinking about how naïve she had been.

But she had to fix this. She had to be strong now.

She had to leave with whatever dignity she had left.

* * *

 **MAGGIE PIERCE**

 _"Jackson… He likes you. He has feelings for you."_

April's words repeated over and over in Maggie's head as she stood outside Jackson's apartment. She had been standing there for ten minutes, not sure whether or not to ring the bell.

 _What if he doesn't like me back?_

That had happened before. She had really thought Riggs was into her.

But this was different, right? April knew Jackson better than anyone, and if she said he liked her, there must be some truth to it.

 _What if April is in there too?_

That would definitely be awkward. But Maggie remembered seeing April still working at the hospital. Man, that girl had stamina.

She took a deep breath, and rang the bell. Jackson opened the door.

"Oh… hey," He smiled, "I wasn't expecting you."

"Yeah, I just… wanted to talk to you about something. Can I come in?"

"Sure."

She stepped into the apartment and he closed the door behind her. It was a great place – classy but comforting.

"So… what's up?" He asked.

"Um… nothing. Where's Harriet?"

"She's sleeping," He frowned, "You said you had to talk to me about something?"

"Right, I did. So… About today. I was… really scared for you."

"Oh… Don't worry about that. I have experience running into fires. Not to be arrogant or anything."

"Uh, yeah. April told me about that."

"Oh."

"So I mean… I just… don't want anything bad happening to you, you know? You've really been there for me through everything and I just… I don't want you to die or anything."

"Yeah, thanks… I don't want you to die either," He laughed.

"Jackson, what I'm trying to say is…"

Maggie took a deep breath. Did he really not get it? Or was he just pretending not to understand?

Jackson took a step towards her, his piercing eyes looking straight into hers. Those eyes… They were the most gorgeous pair of eyes she had ever seen.

"What are you trying to say?" He frowned.

He was so close to her that she could feel his breath. Her heart was drumming against her chest. And before she knew what she was doing, she had leaned in to kiss him.

The kiss lasted exactly two seconds.

And then the door opened behind them, and someone entered the apartment. Maggie jumped away from him and turned around to see who it was.

It was April.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for reading the first chapter, I hope you liked it.** ** **Please leave a review because that really helps.** Things will definitely get very interesting. **


	2. Chapter 2

**JACKSON AVERY**

Jackson was confused. Maggie had randomly showed up at the apartment, acting all weird. And then she had kissed him, out of the blue. He had not been expecting that. And then April had walked in. He had _definitely_ not been expecting _that._

Now April was staring at the two of them with a stone cold expression, and for about a minute nobody said anything.

Then Maggie broke the silence.

"You know what? I should really get going," She said and practically sprinted out of the apartment.

Awkward silence again.

"Is Harriet asleep?" April finally spoke.

"Uh, yeah. She is. She's fine."

"Okay," April calmly replied and started walking towards her room.

"April, wait. I need to talk to you."

She turned, "Yeah, I had to talk to you too actually."

"Oh. Okay. You go first."

"Jackson, I'm moving out."

" _What?"_

He hadn't seen that coming. He thought she would be angry about what had just happened. He thought she would shout at him, and they would fight until they were too tired to fight anymore. Then they would go to bed, exhausted. And in the morning, they would ignore each other. Or maybe fight more. That's how it always worked with them.

But here they were, and April was calmly telling him she was moving out.

"I'm moving out," She repeated.

"Why?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because…"

"Because what, Jackson? Give me one good reason I shouldn't be moving out," She said, still completely calm. Why was she so calm?

"April, if this is about what just happened with Maggie, then- "

"That's none of my business."

"She kissed me! I didn't even know that was going to happen. She just came to the apartment and-"

"Jackson, it's none of my business who you kiss."

"But I didn't kiss her!" Jackson shouted.

"It doesn't matter who kissed whom. I'm moving out because it's time," April said in a low voice.

Jackson was getting more and more frustrated. He didn't get it. He was shouting but she was keeping her cool. Why couldn't she just fight with him?

"Why are you so calm? You were screaming at me at the hospital!" He exclaimed.

"So you _want_ me to shout at you?" She frowned.

"No, I just want you to… April, you can get mad at me but just-"

"I'm not mad at you! You want to be with Maggie, then you should. She's great. I don't care, Jackson."

He took a step back.

 _I don't care, Jackson._

And then it finally hit him: April had moved on.

After Montana, Jackson had been so confused. He had so many emotions and no idea what they all meant. Everything was just so hard with April. She was so much to him – his best friend, his great love, his ex-wife, the mother of his dead son, the mother of his alive daughter, the woman who left him twice, and the woman who was there for him when he kept pushing her away. How was he supposed to know how he felt towards her?

But it didn't matter now. Because in all the time he had spent being angry and confused, she had moved on.

And now she was leaving.

They were both silent for a long time.

Then he finally said in a defeated voice, "Okay."

"What?" April frowned.

"Okay," He repeated, "If you want to move out, you should. Where will you go?"

"Back to my old apartment."

"And what about Harriet?"

"We'll split the week, like we planned."

"Okay."

"Okay," She gave him a cold smile and then turned to leave.

Jackson watched her walk towards her room. She paused for a moment when she reached the door, and he thought she would turn around. Change her mind. But she didn't.

April was determined. And there was nothing he could do about it.

* * *

 **APRIL KEPNER**

She entered her room and immediately sank to the floor, finally allowing herself to process everything.

Before entering the apartment, she had planned everything out – She would go talk to Jackson, and calmly tell him she was moving out. He would probably ask her to reconsider because of Harriet, but she would be firm. He would agree and they would peacefully agree upon a plan for co-parenting. Then she would go to bed and move out the very next day.

Why couldn't things go as planned? She didn't know. But they never did. She had entered and seen the very last thing she had expected to see.

Seeing Jackson kissing another woman – it was infuriating, and it was heart-breaking. It had taken every last fiber of her being to stick to her plan. But she had. She had handled things with grace and dignity.

She still felt like throwing up though.

And suddenly she was picturing everything: Jackson and Maggie dating, getting married, having kids. Maggie being a step mom to her daughter.

 _Stop overthinking it._

April got up and opened her cupboard. She grabbed a suitcase and started throwing everything into it.

Whatever would happen, April was not going to let it get to her. She was done being the girl everyone felt sorry for. She was going to live her own life. If Jackson could do it, so could she.

She was moving on.

* * *

 **JACKSON AVERY**

The alarm went off for the twentieth time, but Jackson did not move. He was going to be very late for work but he didn't care. He was exhausted.

 _April is leaving. Maggie kissed me. April saw it. But she doesn't care. Because she's moved on._

The same cycle of thoughts had been playing over and over in his head all night and he didn't know how he felt about it.

It was good, right? That April had moved on? And he had moved on too, right? At least that's what was supposed to happen. People who had been divorced for a year and a half were supposed to move on. So why did he feel like he was being repeatedly punched in the gut?

His thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell.

Jackson finally gathered the strength to leave the bed to go and get the door. When he entered the living room, the door was already open. There were people carrying boxes and suitcases and April directing them to be careful.

 _Wait, what? She's moving out already?_

"April," He walked over to her.

"Oh, hey," She turned to him with a smile. It was a fake smile.

"You're moving out?"

"Yeah, I told you last night…"

"I know but, I didn't know you would move out _this morning."_

"There's no point dragging it out, right?"

Jackson didn't reply.

Wow, she was really in a hurry to get away from him.

The movers finally took out the last boxes and Jackson stared, dumbfounded. Then April turned to him.

"Everything will be a mess at my apartment for a few days so I think Harriet should stay here until then."

"Yeah, okay."

"And if she misses me too much, call me. I'll come. We need to make this move as easy for her as possible."

"Okay."

"And I fed and bathed Harriet in the morning. And I made you some coffee. It's in the kitchen."

"Okay. Thanks."

"And here's your key," April stepped towards him to hand him the key to their apartment. His apartment.

"You should keep that," He replied, "In case of an emergency."

"Okay, I will," April nodded and put the key in her purse.

Jackson simply watched her as she took a last look at the apartment. She was wearing a black sweater and a pair of jeans. Her red hair was tied into a ponytail. Her eyes looked tired from lack of sleep. And yet, somehow, Jackson thought she had never looked more beautiful.

"Okay, so," April turned to him again, "This is it. Thanks for everything."

Jackson didn't know what to do. Hug her? Shake hands? What was one supposed to do?

So he did nothing. And she turned around and walked towards the door.

"April, wait."

"What?"

"Um… goodbye."

"Goodbye, Jackson," She gave him a sad smile, and then walked out of the apartment.

Jackson stood there for a long time after she had left. Then he went to the kitchen and drank the coffee she had made him. She didn't have to do that, especially considering everything that had happened last night. And yet, April hadn't left without making him one last pot of coffee.

He got up and walked towards her room. The door was ajar and he stepped in. It still smelled like her, but it was completely empty.

Jackson felt a stab of pain in his chest.

He opened her cupboard, and found everything gone. She hadn't left anything behind. The shelves, earlier filled with books and photographs, were now empty. Then he opened the drawer on her night stand and was surprised to find a box inside.

She _had_ left something behind.

He picked up the box, and recognised it immediately. Even before opening it, he knew what he would find inside.

It was her wedding ring.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for reading this and I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave a review, and I hope to update regularly.**


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